Emma

by ariom

Vila warns Dayna about someone from her past and also his. But she refuses to take his warning seriously.

EMMA

I have no rights regarding the series and original characters of Blake's 7.
No infringement of copyright is intended.

13 146 words

Vila stared, appalled, at the face on Zen's screen, then he turned to Dayna.

"You sold technical weaponry systems to him?"

"Yes, certainly. Why not?" She met his gaze imperturbably. "He was directed to us by other rebel groups and gave a good account of his actions. Anti-Federation activities, Vila."

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll bet he did just that." Vila's face tightened uncharacteristically and she laughed at him.

"Vila, you worry too much."

"Worry too much, do I?" he muttered as he retreated to the lounger where Cally sat, her face reflecting her concern at his attitude. "And with reason, Dayna!"

"What is the matter, Vila?"

He slumped onto the seat dejectedly and shook his head, then half turned to regard the face on the screen.

"Him, Cally. That - supposed rebel Dayna and her father supplied with weapons - "

"What are you getting at?" Dayna's voice was angry and she came around to stand in front of him just as Tarrant and Avon appeared at the steps leading down onto the flight deck. Vila's voice was low, almost reluctant and with a definite note of sullenness in it. Personal confrontations, especially with Dayna, were not his idea of fun at all.

"He's not a rebel, Dayna. He certainly never was while I knew him and I can't imagine that he would have changed. He's a Federation agent."

"What? That's ridiculous! You've got him mixed up with someone else. He's no more Federation than I am!"

"You're wrong, I'm afraid. It's a long time since I last saw him, but I do remember the man." He looked down. "I have good reason to do so. His name was Lennox Polar when I knew him."

"Then you are mistaken." Dayna's voice was derisive. "He is called Zel Kane, and he is not Federation, I can assure you of that."

"What?" Vila blinked and Tarrant came down to stand by Dayna, regarding the thief with disdain.

"Vila, his name is Zel Kane. He and his rebel group bought weapons from Dayna and her father before the intergalactic war. They - "

"On Sarran? Did they go to Sarran?" Avon's voice was sharp and Dayna nodded her head.

"Yes. But there is no need for alarm. He was brought to the planet by an intermediary and never knew either its name or its coordinates. We did believe in protecting ourselves, Avon. We always did that." Until it was too late, she thought bitterly to herself and her face hardened. One day Servalan would pay for what she had done ... "Tell me about it." Avon seated himself comfortably and looked up at her. Dayna shrugged and sat down.

Before his demise at the hands of the Terran President, it appeared, Hal Mellanby had supplied a group of ex-Earth residents from Shalane with weapons to be used against the Federation. Not long after the delivery of the weapons Mellanby had received a message that they were having troubles with them. He had intended finding and rectifying the problem but the intergalactic war had intervened. This had resulted ultimately in his death and that of Lauren, plus the departure of Dayna, itching to kill Servalan, to the Liberator. A second message from Shalane, a general broadcast, had been intercepted by Orac while Dayna had been on watch and she had decided to investigate further. She had been puzzled, as she now told them all.

"The weapons were checked and double checked before Kane collected them. I told my father there was no reason for them to be malfunctioning at all." She grimaced.

"Unless the Shalanians were so primitive they couldn't use such technical equipment."

"That does seem unlikely," Avon pointed out. "After all, they are not native Shalanians, but Terrans."

"Were there any native Shalanians?" Cally asked.

Dayna shrugged. "I really couldn't say. The man who came to see Father was human." She gave Vila a cool stare. "His name was Zel Kane. He was cold and callous and unfeeling about most things but he knew weaponry and he told us how much he hated the Federation."

"So he said!" Vila put in quickly and they all looked at him in varying degrees of annoyance.

"Vila, you're wrong," Dayna said crossly. "Do you really think we would supply the Federation?"

"Not intentionally, no. But if he deceived you - "

"Oh, shut up, Vila," Tarrant interjected. "You've obviously got the man confused with someone else." He looked at Dayna and she went on.

"Orac picked up a signal from the planet Shalane, where Kane and his group have a base, and it passed the information on to me. They are at a place called Niling. Shalane's a good place for them, as it's a non aligned planet and somewhat out of the way. They've had more problems with the weapons and have asked for my advice - "

"I'll bet they have. And when you go there and teleport down to help them they'll nab you. It's got to be a trap. It just has to be!" Vila's tone was bitter but Dayna disregarded him and turned to the other two men.

"We didn't have anything else urgent to take care of, so I have put the Liberator on a course for Shalane. Zen tells me we are a little under twenty four hours away from it at our current speed." Avon nodded, smiling slightly, and rising to move around the flight deck.

"You feel a responsibility towards them, do you?"

She nodded. "Of course."

"I still think it's a trap." For once, Vila was persisting and he went on hurriedly. "After all, the weapons were checked before you sent them off, Dayna. They worked okay then, so they're really not your problem now. That is, if they are malfunctioning"
She fixed him with a cold stare.

"I made them, Vila. I designed them and I made them. I have pride in what I do - surely that is not too difficult for even you to understand?"

"But it's probably a trap!" he protested and shook his head desperately. "I wish, just for a change, that you would all listen to me." His voice was louder than he had realised and he froze momentarily as all eyes turned to regard him. He swallowed and pulled a face, then shrugged and went on. "I knew him, Dayna, a long time ago. He - "

"You knew someone who looks like him, that's all. You're confused, Vila. Not unusual." Dayna and Tarrant shared amused and malicious glances but Cally looked at Vila gravely.

"Are you sure, Vila? What about the name difference? You said his name was Lennox Polar but Dayna and her father knew him as Zel Kane. Is it really possible that they are one and the same man?"

"Of course not!" Tarrant interrupted before Vila could open his mouth. "Vila's made a mistake, that's all. As you say, Dayna, not unusual."

"Damn!" Vila jumped to his feet and started for the steps leading from the flight deck. "I have not made a mistake! I tell you, he is Lennox Polar and when I knew him he was part of the Federation. But nobody ever listens to me. I'm wasting my breath. Just don't expect me to go down to Shalane with you, Dayna - "

"I don't."

"And when you get into trouble down there, don't rely on me to come and haul you out of it - "

"The day, Vila, when we have to rely on you to come and rescue us, we might as well hand ourselves and the Liberator over to Servalan," Tarrant jeered and it was only Cally who saw and understood the stricken look on the thief's face.

/He spoke without thinking - /

"He always does!" he retorted and hurried from the flight deck, jostling against Avon in his haste. Dayna stared after him, her eyes wide, and Tarrant grimaced.

"Upset, isn't he?"

"Yes." Cally's voice was low. "He is that. And quite justifiably too, I feel. You were both very hard on him, when he was only trying to warn you that you might be running into trouble."

"Oh come now, Cally, you can't really believe that there's any substance in his fears. He didn't even have the right name for the man. He's got him mixed up with someone else." She grinned unkindly. "With someone else he's afraid of."

Tarrant laughed. "And there's plenty of scope there."

Cally shook her head gently. "Be careful, Dayna. It is just possible there may be some basis for his fears."

Avon came across and sat beside Cally, casting a long hard look at the face on the viewscreen.

"Zen, identification?"

"The man pictured is known as Zel Kane. He has been known as a minor rebel leader for the past two years. He began his actions by raids on both Federation and neutral ships, then concentrated on Federation bases. He has built up a small but very devoted following and has made every effort to justify his early attacks on neutral ships, claiming that they were in fact Federation in disguise. No evidence has ever been offered against these claims. His present planetary base is in Niling, on the planet Shalane in the Ormina system."

"Hmm." Avon was thoughtful. "Information on the man prior to his rebel actions? Background?"

"There is minimal information on Zel Kane prior to two earth years ago." Zen's tone was as bland as ever and Avon gazed around, his eyebrows raised. "Available data suggests the name Zel Kane is assumed. No further information is available at this moment."

"So. Interesting, wouldn't you say?"

"Proves nothing." Tarrant's tone was dismissive. Cally shook her head gently.
"Be careful, Dayna." She smiled slightly. "How did Kane establish contact with you and your father in the first place?"

Dayna shrugged gracefully. "Through our normal go-between. But I've heard nothing of him since the war. Kane and his second in command came to Sarran and took a fairly small consignment - but of very sophisticated weaponry - from us. They paid, left, and that was that. Until they got a message through not long afterwards to say there had been a slight problem." She cast a quick look at Avon. "That was just before the war began. I forgot, in all the - things that happened from then on. I hadn't even thought about them until Orac picked up their call and told me. The idea that Kane is Federation is nonsense, has to be." She looked around the flight deck. "After all, if he were what Vila claims, then surely he would have taken advantage of the situation then to strike a blow against the rebels? Against my father and myself?"

Cally frowned. "Maybe that is what he has in mind this time? To strike against us?"

"What?" Tarrant was incredulous. "Vila doesn't know what he's talking about, Cally. He really doesn't. Look, if this Zel Kane were part of the Federation up until two years ago - or even at any time - then I would have heard something about him, wouldn't I?"

"That may be true." Cally stood up and looked down at him with cool eyes. "I had put it from my mind, Tarrant, that you had once been part of the Federation. But I do feel concern. If Kane were indeed a spy, as Vila claims, then he has a wonderful opportunity now to take all of us and the Liberator. Remember that. And remember also, the Federation is large. You may not have known everyone who was a part of it!" Then she left the flight deck, sending a silent message behind her as she went. /Avon, I must speak with you, about Vila and what he is worried about. Please./

Ten minutes later he tapped at her door. "Cally?"

"Come in, Avon. Thank you." Her tone was grave and he entered, a slight frown on his face.

"You are worried, aren't you? About what Vila said?"

The Auron woman nodded slowly and motioned him to a seat. "Yes. Vila is often afraid, Avon, but - "

"We all know that." He gave her a quick look that did not totally conceal affection and shook his head. "Go on."

"On this occasion his fears may be justified. What do you know about this man Kane? And even though Dayna and her father dealt with him, what does she know?"

"Very little." He tilted his head and stared at her thoughtfully. "What do you suggest then, Cally?"

"Caution, naturally."

He grimaced. "We're always careful, whoever we deal with."

"Yes, true. But Dayna and Tarrant are rash people. And he is still disturbed over the death of his brother. His judgement is - impaired. Add to that the fact that he never has had much trust in Vila or any time for his fears. I see trouble ahead of us - and it is not necessary for you to be an Auron to agree that I am right in this!"

Avon smiled slightly. "Right, Cally." As you usually are, he added silently.

"We've all lost people we've cared for, Avon. Every one of us on this ship. Yes, even you - " His face tightened and lost expression and he started to rise to his feet. Cally put out her hand to him. "It is not enough to hide behind a mask, not from me. We all hurt from time to time. Even you. And at this moment Vila is very hurt. He has been derided and scorned and made fun of, when it was only his intention to warn Dayna that she might be heading into danger. Whether Kane and Polar are or are not the same man, he tried to advise her and she laughed at him."

Avon stood up. "I'll go and have a talk with him. To find out just what it is about this Lennox Polar that scares him so much. But he's not just scared, you know, he's angry as well. That's not like him."

Cally also stood. "Talking with Vila is an excellent idea, Avon. But let me do it." Her smile was wide and innocent. "I have a softer approach. And after the way the other two spoke to him, I feel he may be in need of sympathy."

"And I'm not the sympathetic type?" There was an odd teasing note in his voice and she laughed slightly.

"No one, Avon, could ever accuse you of being that."

They both left her cabin and as Avon headed towards the flight deck Cally approached Vila's door and tapped gently.

/Vila?/

"What do you want?" He opened the door to her but ungraciously and continued with what he was doing, moving restlessly around the room, picking up and touching small items and articles of clothing, then either replacing them or crossing to dump them onto his bed, which was littered with a mixture of clothes, tools, ornaments and other things. Cally stared.

"Why Vila, what are you doing?"

"Packing." He was sullen and would not meet her gaze. Cally shook her head and then seated herself on a chair he had just cleared of a pile of clothes.

"Vila, please. Tell me what is wrong. Listen, it's me, Cally. Remember, you can talk to me. I shan't laugh at you or make fun of you - "

"But will you believe me any more than any of the others? Do they ever pay attention to me? No, never! Not unless they want something from me. And then do they ever ask? No, they order! All they can do is boss me around, just like I was a servant or a slave! Cally, I had enough of that, and of people like them, on Earth, when I was a child. When I knew Lennox Polar..."

He went silent and Cally turned her head to regard him sympathetically.

"You are certain he and Zel Kane are one and the same man, aren't you?"

For a moment he paused, staring back at her with quite uncharacteristic gravity.

"Yes, Cally. I'm certain. It was a long time ago, but I haven't forgotten. I don't think I shall ever forget. He was a spy for the Federation then and there's no way I can see that he would ever have opted to work against it. Dayna and her father were deceived by him and they sold him weapons. Now she's going to help and advise him again and is walking into danger. Oh, I know you all think I'm a coward. Maybe I am."

He looked down unseeingly at what he held in his hand, a brightly coloured tunic and a wooden ornament then shook his head, shoving the assortment on his bed aside so he could seat himself. "Maybe if I weren't such a coward I'd go with them, to face him and find out whether or not I'm right." He made a short unamused sound. "But if I were right - then either I'd kill him - or more likely he'd kill me. It's that bad, it really is."

For a few seconds he was silent. He pursed his lips and looked thoughtful then lifted his eyes to her and smiled faintly. "There were a lot of things to be scared of when I was a kid, Cally. You grew up in a nice secure place, with family and friends around you. Me, I lived in the Delta grades. We were the scum of the earth. But even Deltas are human and have some feelings. If I'm a coward now I always will be one, because that's what my life has made me. Dayna and Tarrant - and maybe even Avon too - I suppose, are what their lives have made them. But I wish just for once they'd take the trouble to listen to me instead of dismissing my words as the ravings of a drunken coward!"

She said nothing and he shrugged almost apologetically. "Sorry. I shouldn't have gone off my face like that. But I'm frightened, Cally - and for them, not for myself"
She nodded. "Tell me about this Zel Kane. Or Polar, whatever you want to call him. You knew him, years ago back on Earth?"

Vila nodded. "Yeah, that's right." He got up and rummaged in a cupboard. "A drink, Cally? Just a small one. I - talk easier with a glass in my hand and a friend listening."

"All right." She smiled and accepted the glass, noting mentally that her idea and Vila's idea of a small drink were worlds apart. She sipped at it as he spoke, holding his glass and moving around the small cabin restlessly. His emotions were plain as he told her where he remembered Lennox Polar from ...

"The Federation had a strict policy on population control." He looked sour. "Especially in the Delta grades, and on the quality of the population as well as its size and growth. Those who were unfortunate enough to be born handicapped - either physically or mentally - were weeded out. Usually they were taken away as soon as the fault was noticed, and most times nothing more was ever heard of them. It was said that they were - used - for medical research - or that they were simply - euthanised. That was the term they used." He looked sharply at Cally. "Did they practise euthanasia on Auron, Cally?"

She shook her head. "Very rarely. We Aurons have a great deal of respect for life, whatever form it takes and whatever its defects." There were, she knew, occasions on which the choice of an individual to die had been exercised, but such occasions were on the whole rare. Vila looked bitter.

"Umm. The other, higher grades, they got more of a chance than us Deltas. A handicapped baby in an Alpha household would have got expert care and probably even would have been treated by every method available. But as for the Deltas ... " He turned away tiredly and Cally caught her breath.

"Someone you knew, Vila? A member of your family?"

He shook his head reluctantly.

"No. Just a - friend. When I was a little kid. A long time ago, it really was. Her name was Emma and she was a couple of years younger than me. She had been quite all right when she'd been born. In fact she was probably above average intelligence. And she was pretty, too, Cally. She had fluffy fair hair and blue eyes." He shook his head sadly and his stare lost focus in the past. "But they were pretty, vacant eyes when I knew her. She had - developed a sickness. An inflammation of the brain, and as a result she had become blind and deaf. She could speak, y'know, because she'd learned to talk before she became ill. But there was no way of communicating back to her.

"And then one day she fell and hurt herself and after that she couldn't walk. We kids used to look after her, cart her around with us. She was never any trouble, she never cried or fought or did anything like that. We took care of her and she was as happy as it was possible for someone in her position to be. We even hid her when it was necessary. Emma was an open secret in our area, but it took the Federation a long time to find out about her. Lennox Polar was the one who found out and reported her presence. He had been a friend of our family and my brother had brought him home one night. Some friend. No one ever even suspected him of being a spy. It never occurred to us kids, Cally, that there could have been so much fuss over one small and harmless child. But it seems that to the Federation she was a blot on their image of perfection. They couldn't let her exist any longer."

His voice broke and he stood up and walked away from her to hide the grief in his face. "They came and took her away one night. Her and her parents and a whole lot of other people. They were all condemned for having hidden a - defective child. No matter that she had been born healthy and it had been because of illness and then accident. That wasn't taken into account. The child - Emma - disappeared. The Federation killed her, and her parents, Steffa and his wife Miri, they were sent to a frontier planet. Like Blake's family."

"But Blake's family - " Cally started and he nodded.

"Yes. They were killed. I don't know, Cally, and I never will know what happened to Steffa and Miri and the others. But this I do know, that Polar was the one responsible for whatever happened to them. I saw him a few times in the years after that. He had a down on the whole Delta grade, and took every opportunity to hit at us whenever he could. He got me too, in the end." He sat down and grinned, a twisted expression.

"When they finally picked me up, years afterwards, and sentenced me to Cygnus Alpha, it was Polar's doing again. I'm sure it's the same man, Cally, that calls himself Zel Kane and tricked Dayna and her father into thinking he was a rebel and fighting against the Federation." He refilled his glass. "For what happened to me, I don't care. I'm a crim after all, but they - they were just looking after their child. I did hear a rumour, while I was still on the London, that Polar had died. Seems he didn't die. He just changed his identity." He gave Cally a sharp look. "Remember, Zen told us there was no available information on Kane before a couple of years ago. That would fit. It really would."

Cally looked at him queryingly. "You weren't there when Avon gave Orac the first degree. Did you ask it before, when you first heard about Kane?"

Vila nodded. "I'm not stupid, Cally. I know that and you know that. But I don't think the others do. Well, maybe Avon does ... " He shrugged. "Although I'm not sure he puts any more faith in me than they do."

Cally sat in silence, then reached out to him gently. "I understand how you must feel, Vila. And I do agree, there is probably more substance in your claim than either Dayna or Tarrant is prepared to accept."

"Won't make any difference now." He was brusque. "They just don't want to even listen to me. You saw that."

"Maybe you should tell them about Emma - "

"I'd rather not."

"It might help them to understand and maybe even to reconsider their actions."

"I wouldn't count on it. I've warned them, and all they did was laugh at me. I've taken enough of this from them. It's up to them now to look after themselves."

She sighed. "Very well. I shall see if there is anything I can do. And if they are determined to go, I shall at least see that they are particularly careful when they go down to Shalane."

"You think they'll still go, regardless, don't you?"

She nodded. "Yes. To Dayna it is a matter of professional pride, in what she has made. She would not rest satisfied unless she checked out Zane's claim." Cally smiled at Vila warmly. "I rather suspect that even if she knew Kane and Polar were one and the same man she would still go to find out about the weaponry systems she had designed"
"Yes. Well, they can't say I didn't warn them."

Cally rose and went to the door. "If Avon also goes with them, he will take extra care, you may be sure of that." Then she frowned curiously. "Do you not feel any wish for revenge against Polar for what he did?"

Vila met her eyes squarely. "I'm not the vengeful type, Cally. I'm really not." He considered. "Well, if it had happened some other way that I came face to face with him, and I was armed, and had a good chance of getting away - I'd probably kill him if I could. But - at the moment I have no wish to get any closer to him than necessary." He took her silence for scorn and went on almost defensively. "I like living, you see. I'm a thief and a coward and I believe in running away whenever the odds are against me. That's the way I am."

She smiled gently and slid the door shut quietly behind her. As she returned to her cabin her face was thoughtful. It wasn't until much later that she remembered what Vila had been doing when she had first entered his room. Packing.

It was his only choice, the thief had decided. For too long now he had had to tolerate the scorn and mockery of the others, especially that of Dayna and Tarrant. Avon wasn't quite as bad; his comments, although just as unkind and derisive, were at least direct. And he had always acknowledged the value of Vila to the rest of them. As for Cally, she was the one true friend he had on the Liberator. He was going to miss her ...

But his mind was made up. Personal freedom and self respect were to be found someplace other than on the ship.

By the time the Liberator had moved into orbit around Shalane the atmosphere aboard had cleared somewhat. Vila had remained in his cabin as much as possible, keeping well out of the way of both Dayna and Tarrant. Naturally enough, neither of them had made any approaches to him. To his immense frustration, neither had he been able to get Orac to himself. But all the same, he had managed somehow always to be in the vicinity whenever a query about the planet was put to either Orac or Zen. All these facts he had assimilated with more intelligence and rapidity than most of the others on the ship would have credited possible. But then Vila was an old hand at hiding his talents and abilities.

Shalane, as they had already been informed, was a non aligned planet; a base for many assorted non conforming groups and individuals. It also had a number of large open spaceports, one of them in fact on the other side of the continent to where Zel Kane had his base. Vila had smiled to himself at this. Surreptitiously, he had continued his packing, not forgetting at one stage to make a covert trip to the treasure room of the Liberator to fill a small bag with a careful selection of gems. Intending to leave the ship as he did, in order to live in peace and self respect, he still planned on doing so in relative wealth and comfort. Vila was many things, but as he had told Cally, he was not stupid.

And Avon, at Cally's instigation, had quizzed Orac in order to find out as much as was possible about the rebel leader Zel Kane, and specifically his record in the fight against the Terran Federation. He was unimpressed. The available data from rebel records and information suggested a fight that had commenced some two years previously, with a rather undistinguished list of attacks on semi useless bases, one at least where the only casualties had in fact been mutineers, or on more or less neutral vessels. Altogether quite unsatisfactory. He scowled to himself as Cally remarked coolly,

"Not particularly impressive, is it?"

He stared up at her. "A pipsqueak operator. Small and not very important. And not very destructive as far as Federation property is concerned."

Cally tilted her head inquiringly. "You think perhaps there may be more basis than the others wish to believe in Vila's story?"

He stood up and started for the doorway. "I think we definitely ought to be very careful in any dealings with this man Kane until we are certain of who and what he is. It is not unknown, Cally, to place a Federation agent into the midst of rebels, in order to send information back to the Federation." He gave a quick grin. "It would be quite impossible, short of using violence, to prevent Dayna from going down there to check on the weaponry she designed, but I would recommend extreme caution on our part, as well."

Cally smiled. "I agree."

When the crew assembled on the flight deck, preparatory to Dayna, Tarrant and Avon teleporting down to the surface to meet Kane, Vila made one last effort to dissuade them.

"Look, I know you don't believe me, any of you, except maybe Cally - "

"That's right. We don't." Tarrant made no attempt to soften his attitude and Vila winced.

" - but at least be careful."

Across the flight deck from Vila, as he buckled on and carefully checked a handgun and power pack, Avon regarded the thief coolly.

"We are always that, Vila."

"You are. They aren't. Goodbye then. And good luck." Vila grimaced and hurriedly left the flight deck. But he didn't go far, just along one of the corridors where he waited until the other four had gone towards the teleport area. Then he quickly returned to the flight deck, to where Orac sat humming and blinking to itself on a console. Vila sat down and pushed its activator switch in. "Orac, I need some information."

"Well then, kindly be precise and ask specific questions so that my talents and time may not be squandered."

Vila blinked. "Squandered? You glorified box of circuits and conductors! Got a high opinion of yourself, haven't you?"

"The facts entirely justify any opinion I may choose to hold about my capacity. Contrary to human abilities - "

"All right, all right, all right! What I want you to do, Orac - " And Vila leaned closer to the small computer, his voice low and urgent.

They had sent a message to Kane's group on the planet, earlier, to say Dayna was coming to check on the malfunctioning weaponry. But Avon, wary as usual, and more so because of Vila's claim, although it had been rejected by Dayna, opted to have their little group teleport down earlier than expected and a short distance from where they were to meet Kane and his men. From their shelter among the trees and shrubs Dayna glanced along the roadway.

"Three men a hundred yards or so along towards the town. No one else," she reported to Avon and he nodded, then flicked his communicator to address Cally.

"Down and safe, Cally. Make sure either you or Vila stay by the teleport until we call in. Next report in thirty minutes, right. Out."

"Confirmed, Avon. Be careful."

At Cally's words Dayna rolled her eyes at the other two.

"She is getting to be as bad as Vila."

He gave her a cold stare but Tarrant chucked appreciatively. "Not possible."

As they approached the three men Dayna murmured to Avon.

"The one in the middle, the tall man with fair hair, that's Zel Kane." He nodded.
"Introduce us all."

"Dayna." Kane took her by the shoulders and looked into her face. "I was sorry to hear about your father's death."

"Thank you." She drew back and indicated the others. "This is Avon, and Tarrant. I've come to check those weapons you reported as malfunctioning."

"Yes." Kane smiled, but there was no warmth in his expression. "Our base is here in Niling, but underground. We are secure here. At the moment anyway." He waved his arm to introduce the others. "My two companions, Taltz and Krann." The other two men nodded but said nothing, and then fell into step behind them as they walked along the roadway.

Niling was a small place by the standard of its above-ground buildings, but Kane led them down a ramp, then via an elevator to his extensive underground base. He noticed the expression on the faces of the trio from the Liberator and smiled, yet another cold smile.

"Impressive, isn't it?"

"Very much so." Tarrant looked around and Dayna pulled a face thoughtfully.

"Does the Federation have any idea that this base exists?"

Kane's smile widened.

On the Liberator's flight deck Vila stared at Orac. He had set the little computer to tapping into Federation security records and now he shook his head slowly, in awe.
"Are you telling me Zen's information was incorrect?"

"Zen's information was incomplete. It lacks all my resources and abilities and is unable - as I am - to tap into all tarial cell systems. If it had this ability - "

"You might become redundant."

"That was an unnecessary and totally inaccurate observation."

Vila sighed. "That, Orac, was a joke." Or maybe even a threat, he thought sourly to himself and then he continued. "But what you have found out, Orac, is that there is a very strong likelihood that Lennox Polar and Zel Kane are indeed one and the same person?"

"That is correct."

Vila smiled, but it was a bitter expression. "Serves them right," he muttered to himself. "I did warn them, but they never pay any attention to me. Serves them right!" he repeated, but without conviction. He shook his head and stood up slowly, then jumped almost guiltily as Cally addressed him via the intercom.

"Vila? Where are you?"

After a few seconds' hesitation, and hoping the furtiveness he felt would not transfer to his voice he scurried to the intercom and responded.

"Ah, here, Cally. I'm on the flight deck. What do you want?"

"Come down to the teleport, please. And bring Orac with you."

"Ah. Yeah. Is - everything all right?"

She sounded surprised. "Yes. They are down safely and will call back in half an hour. Now come along here."

"Yeah. Okay. I won't be long." But he went first to his cabin and collected the bag he had finished packing. With that slung around his shoulder and Orac in his arms he made his way to the teleport, where Cally sat waiting for him. She raised her eyebrows at the sight of his bag, and leaned back, regarding him interrogatively as he put Orac down and dumped his bag beside the teleport alcove.

"Vila? What do you have in mind?"

He shrugged almost apologetically. "I'm going. I told you that before. Staying on the Liberator's no fun any more. I'm going down to Shalane. There's a city there, called Traylen. It's not all that far from Niling, but it's a much bigger place. Bright lights, civilization, and a spaceport."

Cally leaned her chin on her hand and stared at him.

"Aren't you afraid of running into Zel Kane while you're down there?"

He sat down and shook his head.

"Nah. I shan't be on Shalane long enough for that. I'm going, Cally. Quitting, leaving - "

"Running away?" she asked and he flushed.

"If you want to put it like that, yes. I have to. I just can't stand things on board any longer. When Blake was here, we had a direction, a reason for our existence. When he and Jenna disappeared and those other two arrived - well, things started a downhill slide. We've had problems and we're going to have a lot more in the future. I can see that. Life on the Liberator is dangerous, and it's not getting any safer. None of us has anything really to live for any longer, no firm direction to what we're doing. Look - you've lost your sister, Dayna's lost her father, Tarrant his brother. And then Avon - he lost the one person he'd put his trust in - "

"Apart from Blake."

"And me, I lost Kerrill because I didn't have the nerve to take the one opportunity I had of happiness. We have nothing, Cally. Nothing at all. Together, we are a disaster waiting for a place to happen. And when it happens I don't want to be a part of it. I have a chance now of getting away from all this and I intend to take it." He looked serious. "You weren't planning on trying to stop me, I hope?"

She looked at him gravely. "You must do what you have decided is right. I'll miss you, you know that. And so will the others."

"Yeah." He was sour. "They won't have anyone to kick when things go wrong and they can't face up to blaming themselves. You know, that's one thing that's always bugged me. Whenever something - anything - goes wrong, it doesn't matter who else was around at the time - I get the blame! Not fair, that's what it is. Not fair at all."

"Life hardly ever is fair." There was affection in both her face and voice.

"That's true." He sighed and crossed to dig around in his bag. "Look after yourself, Cally." He produced a small bottle and two glasses. "Have a drink with me, hey? Just one drink, to say goodbye and good luck."

Her eyes on his face, she smiled and nodded and as he filled the glasses she did not notice that the one he offered to her had the slightest trace of sediment in the bottom. The blue liquid sparkled as he lifted the glasses, offering her one and toasting her with the other. "This really is something special. I've been saving it to share with my best friend."

"Vila - I wish you would reconsider. Truly. Don't be in such a hurry to leave."

"Nothing to reconsider, Cally. Cheers." He drained his glass in one gulp and grinned at her encouragingly. "That's the proper way to drink this stuff, honestly." She looked dubious and then shrugged, emptying her glass almost as quickly as he had done. Then her eyes closed and she slumped in her seat, the small glass sliding from her sleeping fingers. Vila hurried forwards to catch her before she fell, and arranged her comfortably on the floor by the teleport console, then tucked the bottle away in his bag and looked down at her, smiling faintly and regretfully.

"Sorry, but I had to be sure you wouldn't try to stop me, or be able to tell the others too soon where I was. This way, you might have a headache, but I'll be long gone." He placed a quick kiss on her cheek and looked around, then addressed Orac. "Now, Orac, when I tell you to, I want you to teleport me down to the surface of the planet. Not far from Niling there's a place called Traylen - "

"Your observations to Cally about the city were audible to me." Orac's tone was snide and Vila grimaced.

"I'm gonna miss you too, smarty. Right, I want a safe place within the city area, fairly close to the spaceport. Afterwards, you are to zero the coordinates so that no one else will know where I am. Do you understand that? I don't want even you to remember the coordinates. Can you do that?"

"The instructions have been precise. The reasoning behind them is not."

Vila scowled. "None of your business, Orac. After you've put me down you'd better listen in for the others. Ah, Cally's having a short snooze. Operate the teleport when they say, right. Right?" He was impatient and irritable at Orac's fractional pause.

"Understood. You do not wish your whereabouts to be known?"

Vila's face creased in an expression of amusement. "That's exactly right. Just - keep an eye on things, Orac. Goodbye." The sooner he got off the ship, he thought ruefully to himself, the better. Saying goodbye to Cally had been worse than he had anticipated and now he was ready to make his move he was beginning to have doubts and regrets. But that wouldn't help. He had to go, now, while he had the opportunity. He wanted to put as much room between himself and the others as possible.

He'd quite forgotten the possibility that by now they might even have troubles of their own.

Zel Kane's grin was derisive.

"It would be surprising if the Federation didn't know about this. We are Federation. Well, more or less. Occasionally, we are even mercenaries."

"What?" Too late, they saw the drawn guns in the men's hands.

His stare was almost pitying as Kane stepped forwards and relieved them of their weapons. Avon's face was stony and he stood very still, aware that resistance was, at the moment, quite pointless. Dayna's eyes had widened in shock and she shook her head in bewilderment.

"You - lied and cheated my father and myself. We supplied weapons for the Federation!" She couldn't get over it. Kane's stare rested on her face coldly.

"I shouldn't feel too badly about it, if I were you. My men and I have managed to deceive a lot of brighter people than you, one way and another. And as I said, we often - ah - work for our own benefit, rather than that of the Federation."

She tilted her head curiously. "And - did you have a malfunction problem with the weaponry you bought from us?"

"No. We had thought to lure your father from Sarran - where he thought he was so secure - but as it turns out, this catch is even better." He turned to Avon. "The Liberator is a great prize. The President will pay well for its delivery - not to mention the capture of the crew. Much more than for just finding Mellanby."

Dayna was still bewildered. "How long did you know about my father and myself on Sarran? You - did know we were there, didn't you?"

Kane's stare was bland. "Not long. We - ah - traced you through your association with various rebel groups. We had been planning to hand the both of you over to the authorities, but the war with the aliens intervened. We heard, one way or another, of what had happened and decided the Liberator was worth going after too. The original plan had been of course to lure you and your father from Sarran, but he - ah - died first."

"Was murdered first, you mean." Dayna's voice echoed her disgust with not merely Servalan and that long ago action, but at her own foolishness at leading them into this trap. "I should have listened to Vila," she muttered angrily under her breath.

"Oh, yes, Vila Restal." Kane's voice was bleak. "He and I have things to talk about. Where is he?"

"Vila!" Tarrant's voice was sharp with disdain and he waved his arms wide to express contempt. But it was not entirely by accident that his hand, by then clenched into a fist, made abrupt contact with Taltz's chin. Avon and Dayna, both sharp eyed and on the alert for any chance, saw and grabbed at it, both swinging into action.

Krann and Kane moved, but not quickly enough, and were both disarmed and stunned. Avon grabbed their weapons back from Kane, shoving the man away from him and snapping urgently into his communicator as Taltz, slightly, recovered, lunged at Tarrant and the two men struggled on the ground.

"Teleport, Cally! Vila! Now!"

At that same instant Vila stood in the teleport bay and looked across at Orac. The communicator chimed and he froze, then snapped out his command as imperatively as Avon had done.

"Me first, Orac! Put me down, zero the coordinates and get them back up. Hurry!" And even as he spoke the air shimmered around him and he was on his way to Traylen, to become the nonentity he yearned to be. Ten seconds wouldn't kill them. He hoped.
And then both Avon and Dayna were back on the Liberator, arriving dishevelled and slightly out of breath. Tarrant, still struggling with Taltz and becoming rapidly overcome by the other two men, remained on Shalane.

Avon cast a quick look around the empty teleport area and snapped out a curt demand.
"Orac, did you operate the teleport?"

"As instructed, I did. I should point out that it is a gross misuse of my abilities - "
"Not now! Where are Cally and Vila? What's happened to them?"

"I am presently unaware of Vila's precise whereabouts. Cally is on the floor behind the teleport console." Orac came close to sniggering. "According to Vila's comment, she is sleeping."

"Sleeping?" Avon's eyebrows rose and his eyes widened as he moved around and caught sight of the Auron woman. "What in the hell's been going on here? Dayna, try to get Tarrant back up here, or at least to establish contact with him."

"I think he's got rather a lot on his hands at the moment." But she jumped to the controls, with total lack of success. On Shalane Tarrant lay slumped and beaten into unconsciousness and Kane held his teleport bracelet, regarding it thoughtfully. Then he dropped it to the ground and stamped it to pieces. His two henchmen picked the unconscious rebel up, grunting, and carried him further into the underground complex. Kane smiled sourly.

The next move, he decided, was up to the others on the Liberator. At the worst, he still had one of the rebels to hand over to the authorities.

Dayna shook her head. "Useless. No response whatsoever. Orac, where is Vila? Is he still aboard the Liberator?"

"Negative. He has been teleported down to the surface of the planet Shalane."

"What? Did you send him there? Or did Cally? Where exactly has he gone? And why?" Both Avon and Dayna snapped out demands and then listened in bewilderment and frustration.

"He instructed me to zero the setting after he left the ship. It would appear also that his first action upon arrival was to remove his teleport bracelet. If he had not done so, then he might have been returned accidentally to the ship when either Dayna or I operated the teleport in bringing you back and then afterwards attempting to retrieve Tarrant. Due to my following his instructions and zeroing the coordinates I am unable to give you his precise position. It was however within the limits of the city of Traylen. As for his motives, they are frequently unknown. He did not say why I was to teleport him down. But he does not intend to return to the ship."

Avon's mouth tightened and he regarded Dayna and the by then semi conscious Cally sourly. She blinked groggily.

"We'll see about that." He went to the controls and spoke urgently into the communicator. "Vila. Vila, respond! This is important. Respond, damn you!" There was silence and Dayna shook her head gently.

"Maybe he can't hear you."

"Can't - or won't?" They looked at each other and shrugged.

Cally sat up and regarded them both gravely. "We can hardly blame him if it's the latter." She rubbed her forehead. "What's happened to Tarrant?"

"What happened to you?" Dayna asked, in concern, and Cally smiled weakly as she pulled herself to her feet.

"Remind me never to drink with Vila again." She was suddenly sad. "But now Vila is gone. We may never see him again."

"Tarrant, too. He has been taken prisoner by Kane and his men." There was no doubt which loss disturbed Dayna more and the Auron woman stared at her.

"So - it was a trap - and Kane is Federation after all."

"Yes." Dayna was terse and Cally shook her head.

"He did try to warn us all."

"Yes. I know." Dayna sat dejectedly, her elbows on the edge of the console and her chin supported by her hands. "He always annoyed me, Cally, because he was frightened all the time. I just didn't want to listen to him or even to believe he might be right and I might be wrong. I do realise this is mostly my own fault."

Cally touched her head gently. "It's not that bad, Dayna. Truly it isn't. We can use Orac to trace Tarrant's whereabouts, and then maybe we can think about talking Vila into coming back to us."

"And do you really think he will want to?"

"Maybe. We may be able to persuade him." The two women went along to the medical centre, where Dayna produced medication for Cally's headache. They returned to the teleport where Avon had been conferring with Orac and the small computer's voice broke into their conversation as they returned.

"I have been able to ascertain that Tarrant has been taken to the medical facilities in Kane's underground centre. Vila is proving more difficult to trace."

"That figures," Avon said sourly and Dayna sat up alert.

"Why is Tarrant in their medical centre? Was he badly hurt?"

"Negative. It appears from the information I have been able to acquire, that this area is built and shielded in such a way that to directly teleport in and out would be difficult, if not impossible."

"Wonderful," Dayna said dryly. "What then would be our best means of getting into and out of the medical centre?"

Orac hummed and sparkled in the bright lights of the teleport area, then spoke again.
"Access is possible through various seldom used underground passage ways. There are security devices and alarms but minimal human guards."

Avon nodded. "So - we will need Vila. Orac, concentrate on finding his location. Keep a look out though for any further information regarding Tarrant and his whereabouts."

"Very well then." Orac sounded as unimpressed as always at being asked to perform in any way. Eventually its lights flickered and sparked and it announced, with a tone of triumph in its normally prissy tones, "I have succeeded in tracing the current precise whereabouts of the teleport bracelet that Vila Restal was wearing when he left the Liberator. I should inform you, however, that he is neither carrying nor wearing that teleport bracelet. It is therefore impossible to communicate with him."

Cally became aware that the other two were looking at her intently and she shrugged resignedly even as Dayna spoke.

"There are other ways, after all, to speak to a person on the surface of the planet." Her tone was significant. "For an Auron, that is."

Cally sighed. "All right. But I cannot guarantee to be able to persuade him to return and give us the help we may need to rescue Tarrant."
Avon smiled thinly. "Just get in contact with him, Cally. That will do for a start."
She seated herself comfortably on the steps leading up and out of the teleport area and her face took on that vague and yet intent expression it did when she was straining her mental powers.

/Vila. It is very important that you contact us. Please do so./

On Shalane Vila Restal sat up, suddenly alert but not happy.

Yeah, he thought sourly, for sure, Cally. And as soon as I put on that teleport bracelet I'll be back on the Liberator. No way! But there was a real note of urgency in her telepathic plea and even though he despised himself for his weakness in listening to her he realised he really had no choice. Not if he were going to be able to live with himself. He excused himself from the small group of drinking companions he had found and returned to his room. It was comfortable but not elegant, but then he hadn't taken it with any intention of staying long and the lack of luxury didn't matter. The fact that it was private was the main thing. He sat back on the bed, the teleport bracelet placed carefully on the table by his side.

Here goes, he thought to himself, resolving either to harden himself to any further pleas or simply to terminate the conversation when he decided. His voice was resigned and unenthusiastic.

"Liberator, come in. This is Vila. What do you want?"

"Where the hell are you, Vila? What are you playing at this time?" Avon was ungracious but Vila chose to ignore his tone, and his queries.

"Cally called me. I'll talk to her and no one else."

"Vila, we need your help!" Dayna put in quickly but at the teleport console Avon shook his head at her.

"Orac can get a proper fix on his position and feed the coordinates into the teleport recall system."

"It's no use trying to bring me back that way, Avon. I'm not wearing the bracelet." There was slight amusement in Vila's voice. "Ran into a bit of trouble in Niling, did you?"

Avon chose not to respond, watching Orac and the moving points of light on the teleport fix. Cally sat very still, her face concerned and grave. Behind Avon, Dayna was not so much concerned as angry. She snatched up a bracelet and started towards the teleport.

"Now you've found him, Avon, you can put me down there. I'll persuade him to come back to help us."

Cally shook her head. "At the point of a gun? Not a good idea, Dayna."

"I can't think of anything better at the moment. If he's not going to help his crewmates of his own free will, then he'll have to do it under duress."

"Cally is right." Avon stared coldly at the dark girl. "Take the bracelet off, Dayna, and put your gun away. It is not always the answer. Let Cally do what she can first." His voice was flat. "Under the circumstances, you can hardly imagine he'd be very enthusiastic about helping us. He did warn us, after all."

"Yes, but who ever pays any attention to Vila and his predictions of gloom and doom? If we listened to everything he said we'd all be acting like frightened rabbits." But Dayna did as Avon had instructed her, tight-lipped as she placed the bracelet back on the tray. Cally sat beside Avon and put her hands on the console.

"Vila. Are you listening to me?"

"Go ahead, Cally. But you're wasting your breath. I like it down here." He chuckled. "And I'm still stone cold sober."

"Yes. I can tell that." Her voice became reproachful. "I had a headache when I woke up, Vila. That wasn't necessary at all."

"Sorry." His tone was perfunctory. "Now what do you want?"

Cally rubbed at her face tiredly. "You were right, Vila. It was indeed a trap. Zel Kane has taken Tarrant but Avon and Dayna got back up here safely - "

"No thanks to Vila!" Dayna snapped and Avon cast her a cold glare.

"Vila chuckled. "I won't say I told you so - but I did." Then he went grave. "And Tarrant?"

"Bruised. Maybe stunned, but not badly hurt. But he has been taken to their medical centre underground - "

"And you can't teleport directly in and out. I suppose you need some doors to be opened. So you want me to come and help rescue him," Vila finished off, nodding his head to himself. Then his tone went nasty. "Why don't you just get Dayna to blast them down? She's good at that sort of thing."

"Vila - "

"I'll think about it. I'll get back to you. But if I do decide to help - and I'm not saying I will, mind you - then afterwards I'm leaving. Staying around you people is dangerous. I like living too much to keep risking my neck for people who don't appreciate me."

As he had been speaking Cally had moved silently, slipping a bracelet onto her wrist and taking her position in the teleport alcove. Dayna offered her a gun but she shook her head at her and then smiled across at Avon, indicating that he should send her down, while Dayna scowled at them both. The teleport took her and she shimmered into existence in Vila's room. He nodded at her, clearly not entirely surprised at her appearance.

"Good trick. But how are you going to make me come back to help? And why should I anyway? Do you think Tarrant'd risk his neck to save me?"

She shook her head gently and seated herself on the single chair in the room, looking at him seriously and flicking the communicator link on her bracelet.

"I'm down and safe, Avon. We'll get in touch in a while. Don't do anything else, but make sure Orac keeps a precise fix on Tarrant's whereabouts."

"He doesn't have a bracelet any more, remember. Orac tells us it's been destroyed. So we'll have to rely on it being able to tap into their communication systems and do it that way."

"All right."

"Good luck, Cally."

/And I had heard you didn't believe in luck!/ she responded with a slight mocking edge to her silent voice. She looked around the room, her gaze non committal. "Not very classy, Vila. You can afford better than this."

"I prefer to save my money for the essentials." He grinned crookedly. "A room, Cally, is just a place to sleep, after all." His expression changed and he got up and started moving restlessly around. "So it was a trap after all. Kane does work for the Federation - "

"And from what Dayna said he is also very likely Lennox Polar." The other woman had told her briefly of Kane's comments about Vila. Cally pulled a face. "I think she really regrets not having listened to you, Vila."

"She certainly didn't sound to me like she was regretting anything other than not being able to force me into helping!" He was angry now and turned to look at the Auron woman. "They only ever want to use me, Cally. To use my skills and then to poke fun at me the rest of the time. It's not my fault I'm not a fighter and that I never had their opportunities to make something of myself other than a good thief - "

"The best thief," she said gently and his face softened.

"Yeah, that's something, I suppose." He sat down and looked thoughtful. "You are all certain he's not dead?"

"Orac has traced him. Tarrant is not dead." She looked at him gravely. "But unless you do help him he may die. We do not know what Kane has in mind for him."

Vila rested his elbows on a table and his chin on his hands and let out his breath slowly. She sat quite still with her eyes on his face.

"Damn it, Cally. Stop looking at me like that. I'm free. I'm rich. I've got a life of my own to lead. This is a new beginning for me - "

"Like the one you imagined you had on Chenga?"

"That's not fair!" He was morose. "Would Tarrant give up a chance like this to try to save me?"

She said nothing, just fixed him with her wide Auron gaze and he squirmed. "Stop looking at me like that. This is going to be dangerous for me, Cally. Kane - or Polar - or whatever you want to call him - from what Dayna said he doesn't forgotten me. He probably wants to kill me."

Cally frowned. "I can understand why you would wish to kill him, Vila - but why would he want to kill you?"

"Why would he be bothered to make the effort, d'you mean?" She shrugged and Vila sat down again. "It's a long story. I only told you part of it, when I told you about Emma." He sighed, letting his breath out slowly. Then he went on, watching her. "Polar had a brother. They were both Federation, both of them, but Tann had a sadistic streak. He used to enjoy walking through the Delta sections, armed, and beating up whoever he felt like hurting. We weren't very important, Cally, and some of us lived pretty brutal lives. Not like Aurons."

She was sympathetic. "I can understand that, Vila. Go on. Please."

"One day Tann started kicking a kid around. He was just about killing her when I came along. I knew him, and I knew his brother, and I remembered Emma and what had happened to her. Something went in me. I ran up and attacked him. I wasn't even armed but I picked up a rock. When I knocked him he fell over badly and broke his neck. And I sat there and smashed his face in with the rock."

He pulled a face in memory. "He made a very messy corpse, Cally. Polar - saw me, but I got away. I cleared out and managed to disappear for a while, but then I got picked up again and eventually they sentenced me to Cygnus Alpha. I'm a murderer. Maybe that's why I'm such a coward, that I've never been able to forget how much I enjoyed killing Tann Polar. I'm afraid of myself and that makes me afraid of a lot of other things, too. Dying, especially."

Cally was silent, but she reached out her hand to comfort him. /No, you're not really a coward, Vila. Inside, you're a very brave - and a very honourable - person./ Aloud, she said, "Does anyone else on the Liberator know what you've just told me? Killing that one man - who very likely deserved it - does not necessarily make you a murderer. You know, you should tell the others about this."

"No. And I don't want them to know. Not ever. I'm not proud, Cally, of what I did." He looked up at her candidly. "I was fifteen at the time." Then he stood up. "I'll get my things."

On Shalane, in the underground complex that was Niling, Zel Kane stood and looked down at Tarrant's helpless restrained body.

"So, your friends will come to rescue you, of course." He smiled unpleasantly. "And then we shall take you all, and the Liberator as well. Servalan may well be so grateful she makes me a Space Commander." He laughed. "But it might be rather difficult for them to rescue you from the medical centre. It's rather well shielded. Teleporting in and out again directly might be beyond their capabilities. A direct frontal attack would be suicidal. I'm sure they don't think you're worth dying for. So...we are going to make things a bit easier for them. We're going to move you into Traylen. That's where the spaceport is anyway. Give them a bit of a chance." His eyes were stony. "Only they won't have a chance."

Tarrant said nothing and Kane looked at him curiously. "You were part of the Federation yourself once, weren't you? Why did you leave?"

The man's expression was bleak and twisted.

"I didn't much care for the idea of murdering innocent civilians!"

Kane laughed again and stalked from the room, and behind him the prisoner lay and thought bitter thoughts.

Stepping from the teleport bay, Vila met Dayna's angry gaze but she was the one who looked away first. He dumped his bag on the floor and looked at Avon.

"All right, I'm here. You need me and so this time I'm going to go against my better judgement and help you. You can thank Cally for this by the way, not me. She's got a very persuasive manner."

Avon looked at him gravely. "Good. Now our best plan of - "

Orac's prissy voice interrupted them. "I have maintained a fix, via the ground information system in Niling, on Tarrant's position. It appears he is being transferred now. According to the ground computer systems I have interrogated he, Zel Kane and three other guards are now en route for Traylen."

"Orac, details!" Avon moved rapidly and then as they listened he gave Vila a quick and very wolfish grin, showing his teeth.

"They are all travelling in a medium range aerial transport mover. Their ETA in Traylen will be in one hour and eight minutes from now, where they will land at the civilian air base before transferring to the spaceport."

Avon's smile was wry. "Well now, Vila, it appears we may not be requiring your special talents after all."

"Oh wonderful!" Vila was not enthusiastic. "I give up my chance of independence to rescue him and he goes and gets himself moved so I don't have to do anything after all!"

"That's right, Vila!" Dayna snapped waspishly. "So it looks like it'll be a simple straightforward operation after all. And you can leave it to us - we won't need you."

He pulled a face. "Think I'll come, all the same." He turned and started for the steps leading to the corridor and Avon's voice caught him.

"Where are you going?"

"To the flight deck. To get a gun." Then he turned back to face them and his face was tired and drawn. "Don't leave without me. I really do mean it. I'm coming." As he went off down the corridor he muttered to himself. "It's about time I faced up to him - he's haunted me long enough!"

Dayna grinned at Avon. "Well, and what's all this about? A sudden show of courage? Cally, what did you say to him?"

Her face grave, the Auron woman shook her head and sat down. "It's a long story, Dayna. And I think if it's going to be told, it should be Vila who tells you - when and if he wants to."

"Okay by me." She grinned cheekily. "I'll look forward to hearing it." She turned to Avon. "Best, you think, to wait till the transport's landed?"

"I rather think so." He was abrupt. "Teleporting into a moving aerial vehicle is a risk we don't need to run." Then he sat thoughtfully.

Cally stood up and stretched. "I am going to the flight deck to sit with Vila." Her smile was tiny and forced. "I'll make sure he's down here in plenty of time." As she left Dayna turned to Avon, wide eyed.

"Well, well, and what do you think of that?" But his only response was a cold and unencouraging stare and she subsided into silence.

When Vila returned to the teleport area his face was grave and he was checking the handgun and power pack. Avon exchanged a look with Cally, just behind Vila, and then spoke, almost gently.

"Vila, you don't have to come down with us."

"Maybe not." Vila didn't smile. "But I'm going to. You see, I've been thinking - " His gaze went to Dayna as he spoke but at his words her mouth did not move in the sneer he had half anticipated, " - and I have to be sure, for once and for all, that Zel Kane and Lennox Polar are indeed one and the same man. And if they are - "

"What are you going to do, Vila? Kill him?" Now there was derision in Dayna's voice and he looked at her very sombrely.

"If he is, Dayna, then very likely I shall. Or else he'll kill me."

She laughed almost in delight.

"Well, you are a surprise. This is going to be very interesting, I think"
Avon frowned and moved into the teleport bay, slipping a spare bracelet into the pouch on his belt and taking out his gun.

"If you are both ready ... "

Vila looked decidedly uncomfortable, almost ill as he took his place and Dayna moved to stand between them. At the controls Cally smiled faintly across at them.

"Be careful ... all of you." /Avon - look after Vila. Please./

"Always, Cally." His mouth twitched and then she operated the switch and they disappeared. Seconds later Avon's voice reassured her that they had arrived safely, very close to the landing area for transport vehicles.

"So ... you did think he was worth risking your lives to try to rescue?" Then, behind the drawn guns of Avon and Dayna Kane saw Vila, his face miserable but determined. His eyes narrowed and he stepped forwards slightly. Only one of the guards was brave - or rash - enough to attempt a move against the trio from the Liberator, and he died in the same second that he realised his rashness. The other two raised their hands and made no resistance as Dayna relieved them of their weapons and freed Tarrant, smiling at him. Kane mentally cursed the lack of other guards in the area. It appeared that he had miscalculated badly.

"You don't look all that bad, considering what happened."

Tarrant gave his normal cheerful grin. "I am glad to see you." He glanced at Vila. "All of you."

At that moment however, to both Kane and Vila, no one else existed. Vila shook his head slowly.

"You - and your brother - have haunted my dreams for many years now."

"Miserable Delta scum - you murdered my brother! I'll kill you for that." Kane's eyes had lost all of their coldness and burnt with rage and a desire for revenge but the thief shook his head as if in regret.

"It was an accident. I didn't mean to kill him - "

"An accident! You beat his head in with a rock and say it's an accident!"

"You're wrong." Vila's face twisted. "He was kicking a child, and for no other reason than that he enjoyed doing that sort of thing. I went to her help, he fell and broke his neck." The faint smile on his face made it an unpleasant reflection of the helpless thief with whom the others were familiar and he gritted his teeth and looked Kane in the face. "And then I smashed his face in with a rock."

Dayna listened with interest, but her gun hand never wavered and the man who had begun to consider an attempt thought again, and did not die that day. Avon's face was expressionless but all the same he noted facts about one Vila Restal he had never known before, and he wondered what else lay beneath that deceptive exterior.

Vila looked at Kane. "You should have made sure I was dead, instead of just being sent to Cygnus."

"You would have died along the way if I'd had anything to say about it," Kane snarled, and put a hand to his gun. Dayna started to raise her own weapon but Avon's short 'No' held her hand. Vila stared as Kane lifted the weapon to aim at him. He swallowed and his face tensed and Kane laughed harshly.

"So. And you should have killed me before I got this far." He shook his head in disgust. "You always were a little sewer rat, Restal. A coward and a snivelling idiot like that brat - "

"Emma was no idiot. She was a helpless child - "

"A drag on the state!" Kane taunted. "And the rest of them got what they deserved for concealing a creature like that - "

"That's enough!" Vila's voice hardened and he stepped forwards and fired, and Kane stared in amazement as his own gun was whipped from his hand. He looked down at the blood there and then lifted his gaze to Vila's face.

"You - are going to kill me now? An unarmed man, in cold blood?"

Avon, watching, grimaced, remembering his own long ago - or maybe not that long ago - words to Shrinker. 'Executions are always in cold blood.' But Vila stared at Kane and his mouth curled in contempt.

"I'm not a murderer after all, I s'pose. I ought to kill you, but I'm just not capable of doing it like that. Not deliberately." He looked tired and began to lower the handgun to put it away in his belt, and at his motion Kane rocketed into action, diving to the ground and grabbing at his fallen weapon to fire at the thief. But Vila, not as inattentive as he had thought, caught the movement and fired almost reflexively, his shot slamming Kane back against the wall.

The man's eyes widened in disbelief and the beginning of agony, then all expression left them and he dropped bonelessly in a sprawled heap. Vila stared for a few seconds and then turned his head towards Avon, putting out his hand. "Let's - go home. To the Liberator. Now."

Dayna lifted her wrist and spoke quickly. "Cally. Four to teleport. All safe"
Back on the ship Vila, his face whitening in reaction, stepped forwards to pull off his bracelet and drop it into the tray. He unbuckled his belt and gun and dropped it onto the console and looked across at Cally, her eyes wide and sympathetic.

"It's - done, Cally. All over." He put his hand to his face and rubbed his forehead.

"I doubt I'll sleep any the better for it at nights though."

"You did what was necessary." It was Dayna behind him, her hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged her off and started towards the steps.

"I didn't do it for any of us. It was for Emma." Cally nodded; the others looked blank. "We can leave Shalane now. If anyone wants me I'll be in my cabin." He didn't turn back to them. "I'm going to get rotten drunk and then maybe I will be able to sleep nights. Tonight anyway."

Tarrant blinked at the others at Vila's abrupt departure.

"I get the feeling I've missed something along the way. He didn't have any choice. He did what he had to do. Any one of us would have done the same."

Dayna smiled faintly. "There's more to Vila, I think, than any of us have realised"
But Cally looked up at them and shook her head sadly.

"He - does not like himself one little bit at this moment."

"He'll get over it." Tarrant took events in his stride, unaware then and for ever how deeply Vila had been affected by those few moments when he had confronted - and killed - an enemy from his past. As usual, only Cally was aware of the feelings of the thief. She shook her head as Tarrant and Dayna left the teleport area, and his voice drifted back to her along the passage. "I knew you'd be along to rescue me, sooner or later."

Avon leaned across the console. "He - will be all right, you know. Vila is tougher than he looks." She let her face relax and stood up slowly.

/I do think you may be right./

It was some time before Vila reappeared on the flight deck. True to his word, he had shut himself in his cabin and refused to answer any of them except Cally, and then with obvious and marked reluctance. With the same reluctance he allowed her to tell the others about the little girl from his past.

Emma.

When he walked down the steps the Liberator was far from Shalane, and the others of the crew were seated on the lounger of the flight deck. Cally looked up and smiled.

"So - you're not planning on leaving us yet, Vila?"

He met her gaze and smiled ruefully. "Not yet, Cally. And certainly not for Shalane. I don't think it'd be as healthy a place as I had thought. But one day, one day I'll find a place, a nice quiet safe planet where I can just disappear into the crowds - "

"And pick a few pockets along the way perhaps?" Dayna suggested, but there was gentle mockery and not derision in her voice. Cally had visited not only Vila, but also Dayna after their departure from the planet of Shalane.

"Yeah, maybe that too. One day, you'll all look for me and I'll be gone."

But they all knew that day, if indeed it ever came, was still far off. He'd had his chance and had turned it down. He'd had it with Kerrill too, and would never cease to regret missing that opportunity also for - what? Peace, freedom, independence? Vila sighed to himself. Whatever, he still had his self respect, maybe even more so now. And really, of what use were regrets in the long run?

Still, maybe one day ... He grinned to himself and looked around the flight deck. Home. This was home. Then Tarrant stood up and reached out his hand.

"Vila - thank you."

Almost embarrassed, the other man stared back at him and mumbled an acknowledgement under his breath. "Just don't count on me always being around to save your skin, Tarrant." Then he sat down. "Would have missed the lot of you, probably. Life would have been dull. Boring, safe ... " His voice trailed away into silence.

/And we also would have missed you, Vila. Welcome back./